Vault gas bomb



2 Sheets-Sheet l w\\\\\\\\\\\\\ n l Nov. 19, 1929. A. J. MACY VAULT GASBOMB Filed Sept. 29, 1923 EEEEE Nov. 19, 1929. A. J. MACY l 1,736,206

VAULT GAS BvOMB Filed Sept. 29. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll/1111111111111f :511mm l@ lllllllll l IIIIILI Illl/lllllllllllllllllllllllllllrllllllllllll.

Macy

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE ALFRED J'. MACY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 THE LAKE ERIECHEMICAL COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO vAUL'r GASnoma Application led September 29, 1923. Serial No. 665,625.

This invention relates to protective devices for vault and safe doorsand the like wherein an auxilary relooking mechanism is brought intovplay by an attempt at forceful entry, and the vault is lilled with anoxious gas at the same time, the gas containers being broken bymechanism released by the operation of the auxiliary lock.

This invention comprises improvements on the device disclosed in myapplication for automatic safe burglar lock, Serial No..

570,437, filed June 23, 1922.

It is an important object of this inven- -tion to provide a relookingdevice of the class described, provided with a plurality of releasingand operating mechanisms adapted to coact together to greatly reduce thepossibility of failure to operate after long perlods of time.

Itis another important object 'of this invent-ion to provide a means forllmg a chamber with a noxious gas upon an .attemptto cut a passagethrough a door equipped with auxiliary llocking mechanism.

Other and further important ob] ects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanyin drawin s.

gIhe invegiition (in a preferred form) 1s illustrated in the drawingsand heremafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a vault door and the locking mechanismtherefor, with devices embodying features of this invention assembled inplace thereon. o Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section of anemergency lock embodying a part of this invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2. v

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. .v 4.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a wire cutting mechanism intended to besecured to the combination or time lock on the door.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a 'singletree and the connectionsthereto as used in connection with the emergency lock.

to Figure 6.

`As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 refers to a plate j forming a vault door, aframework or casing 2 being secured thereto and carr ing slidf ablebolts or lookin bars 3 secure together by a tie bar 4 to which acombination or time lock 5 is secured, as well as some form of manualbolt retracting mechanism (not shown), having an operating handle on theoutside of the door. The construction and operation of the manual boltoperating mechanism and the regular combination or time lock is so wellknown as to require no further description thereof. It is usuallycustomary to use a light metalv cover on the inside of the doorconcealing everything within the limits of the frame or casing 2,largely as a matter of pleasing appearance. Such a cover has decidedadvantages in concealing the position and in fact existence of such anauxiliary locking mechanism, as will be described here- -inafter.

The preferred form of the device of this invention comprises fourintimately coacting major units; namely, an emergency locking mechanismand the means for securing it to the door and door mechanism, amechanism actuated by the emergency locking mechanism to dischargenoxious vapors or gases within the vault, means to cause actuation ofthe locking mechanism upon injury to the combination or time lock, and aplurality of members interconnected and disposed over the vulnerableportions of the door whereby the breaking, cutting or burning of asingle member will cause actuation of the emergency or supplementallocking device. 'These units, for simplicity and clearness, will be l ora plurality of t-ubes with additional couplings, span across to theopposite frame or casing, an adjustable fitting 11, carrying set screws8, similar in purpose to those in the bracket 7 having a threaded shank13 loosely mounted in the end of the tube with a nut 14 thereon adaptedto project the fitting into firm contact with the face of the frame,thus securely retaining the block 6 in place.`

The block 6 is horizontally 'apertured as at 15 for a sliding bar 16attached to the tie bar 4 of the regular door locking mechanism, so thatthe bar 16 slides inwardly in the aperture 15 every time the door boltsare withdrawn or thrown. This sliding bar carries an inertia mechanism,designed to prevent sudden motion of the door bolts, comprising a weight17 hung from a pivoted crank 18, the free end 19 of which serves to lifta pivoted dog 20 above the surface of the sliding bar 16 so that the endof this dog will strike the edge of the block 6 above the aperture 15 toprevent retraction of the door bolts. A stop 22 is providedabove theaperture 15 to prevent the dog 20 from being thrown too -high tosecurely hold the bolt operating mechanism in locked position. Normally,however, the dog 20 will lie even with or below the surface of thesliding bar.

A vertical bore 23 in the body 6 intersects the horizontal aperture 15and a plunger or piston 24 slidable in the bore 23 is normally heldabove the aperture 15 by a trigger 25 -engaging in a peripheral groove26 in the piston. A coil spring 27 above and within the piston serves toforce it downwardly .across the aperture 15 upon release of the trigger,and a removable pin 28 serves to prevent the piston droppingentirely outof the bore, so that when the piston is released it" stops squarelyacross the aperture 15, preventing retraction of the sliding bar andthereby preventing the unlocking of the regular door locking mechanism.

The trigger is normally held in a position to retain the piston 24 ininoperative position by means of a wire 29 adjustably secured on a spool30 clamped in the split end 31 of the trigger. This triggerI serves tolsepara-te a pair of fingers 32 which while separated retain a firingplunger 33 within a tube 34 against the action of a spring 35 tending topull the fingers through a suitable aperture 36 in the block 6 when thetrigger 25 moves upwardly sfufiiciently to release the fingers and allowthem to close together, and

thereby slide through` the aperture 36, releasing the firing plunger 33.This plunger carries a firing pin 37 adapted to contact a plurality ofcartridges 38 in a cartridge holder 39 secured to the bottom of the tube34. The use of .22 caliber rim fire cartridges is contemplated for thesake of simplicity in` using one firing pin to contact the rims of twoor more cartridges. A plurality of cartridges are provided to minimizethe risk of misfire. after the cartridges have been in place on a vaultdoor for some time before the device of this invention is called upon tofunction. Of course, it is to be understood that center fire cartridgesmay be used by an obvious change in the location and duplication of thefiring pin 37.

Suspended below and in line with the cartridge are a plurality of sealedvessels or bombs 40 intended to contain a volatile or compressed gasadapted to generate or emit dense fumes of a character affecting eitheror both the eyes and lungs of human beings upon breakage of the bombs.These vessels 40 are secured in straps 41, fastened to the cartridgeholder 39, in such a manner that the discharge of the cartridges 38 willsend the' bullets through each vessel in turn, thus shattering them andreleasing the liquid or vapor contents.

The wire 29, previously mentioned, passes through a tube 42 having upperand lower flanges 43 and 44 respectively secured thereto. Thistubepasses through an aperture 45 in the block 6 and a spring 46 engagesbetween the block and the upper flange 43 to force the tube andfiangesupwardly. The tube is restrained from such movement by a strap 47engaging the lower .flange 44 and connected to a series of wiresdisposed over the surface of the vault door.

A flexible metal tube 48 forms a continuation of the tube 42, leading toa wire cutting mechanism and containing the wire 29. The wire cuttingmechanism comprises a fixture plate 49 adapted to be clamped to one sideof the combination or time lock by means of the bar 50 and screws andnuts 51, together with a plate 52 extending across the face of thecombination box from the fixture plate to the bar with a slot 53 thereinto allow for various widths of boxes on different doors. Mounted on thefixture plate is a stationary wire cutting knife 54 and an inertia block55, both the knife body and the block being .at the knife edge, the endsof the severed tube being secured in the knife and inertia block. Thetube 48 and wire 29 are carried from the block over tlfe most vulnerablepart of the door locking mechanism, namely the master lug which connectsthe lock 5 with the tie bar 4, and the end of the wire is eithersoldered in the end of the tube or arranged withy a temperaturecompensating spring tensioning device 57 on the end thereof.

The interconnected members referred to hereinbefore comprise a sinle-tree 58 suspended from the strap 47 y means of a single-tree fastener59, best shown in Figure 6. Suspended from either end of the singletreeare wire fasteners 60 to which are attached wires 61 leading to othersingletrees, wires, and fasteners 62 secured to the door in such a waythat the wires are disposed over the most vvulnerable parts of the door.In this series of wires one or more fuse links 63 are arranged, and aturnbuckle 64 is provided for proper initial tensioning thereof. It willbe noted that several of the wires 61 are either secured to or arrangedclosely adjacent the combination lock on the door, as almost withoutexception this is the first point of attack by a person attempting aforceful entry.

In assembling this device on a vault door, the emergency locln'ngmechanism is secured between the door casings by means of the set screws8 and adjustable fitting 11, the set screws on the right hand sidepermitting adjustment for varying widths of bars 4 and the adjustablefitting compensating for varying widths of the door and door casing. Thegas bombs and cartridge holder are applied at a later stage of theproceedings to avoid accidents. With the locking mechanism in place, thewire cutting mechanism is secured about the combination lock and theflexible tube 48 with the wire 29 therein assembled in place. The freeup er end of the wire is wound on the spool 30 inthe trigger yoke 31 andcan be tightened by rotating the spool and the adjustment retained byclamping the yoke about the spool. With the trigger 25 suitably adjustedto hold the piston or plunger 24 in proper position the singletrees 58and wires 61 are connected up as most expedient in each particularinstallation, consideration being given to protecting the mostvulnerable or easily attacked partsv of the door. With the whole deviceset up in operative position and preferably tested out, the cartridgeholder 39 and bomb straps 41 may be attached to the firing plunger tube34 and sealed vessels 40 containing a volatile liquid or gas of theclass described, such as the well-known so-called tear gas, are thenclamped in position an'd the whole device preferably covered with theusual sheet metal inner cover fastened over the door casing, both'toprotect the whole device from tamperingby'anyone having access to thevault., and to conceal the existence of such' a supplemental lockingmechanism. y

Only a few outstanding features of this device .require a detaileddescription as to the operation thereof, as the inertia mechanism andthe relocking mechanism proper, as well as the wire cutting mechanism,have been heretofore disclosed by me in a previous application,reference to which has been made hereinbefore.

In the device illustrated, action of the relocking mechanism, i. e.release of the piston 24 by the trigger 25, can be brought about eitherby the severing of the wire 29 by the wire cutting mechanism or bysevering the tube 48 and wire by cutting or burning elsewhere, as whenan attempt is made to burn 0E the master lug by means of anOxy-acetylene torch, for example. The action will be apparent from aninspection of the figures, as release of the wire allows the trigger tofly up. Upward movement of the trigger not only releases the piston 24to relock the door mechanism, but allows the fingers 32 to close or foldtogether so that they can slide through the aperture to permit thefiring plunger 33 to descend, setting off' the cartridges an'd therebybreaking the bombs suspended below, thus filling the vault with' anoxious gas or vapor as a deterrent to work within or near the vault.

It will be apparent from the use of a number of interconnectedsingle-trees 58 and wires 61 terminating with the connection strap 47 tothe lower flange 44 on the tube 42, that the severing of any one of thewires 61 or of the fuse links 63 disposed therein, will release the tube42 which will be projected upwardly by the spring 45, lifting theflexible tube 48, which is purposely arranged with sufiicient slackness,an'd carrying the trigger upwardly just as a severing of the wire 29would have allowed the trigger to move. It will be evident that thesingle trees and wires are just as capable of releasing the relockingmechanism as the wire cutting mechanism and that each system standsprepared to either assist the other or to function upon failure of theother.

It will be evident that by providing independent but coacting. releasingmechanisms, the chances of failure of the whole mechanism are reduced ina ratio proportional to the square of .the number of mechanisms ratherthan as a simple sum of the number, thus greatly increasing theprotection afforded by a device whose purpose makes evident the factthat it must lie inert for a long period of time yet must be prepared tofunction instantly and perfectly when finally called upon to perform.

I am aware that numerous details of conl struction may be varied througha wide range. j Vwithout departing from the principles of thisreleasingfsaid relocking mechanism upon injury of said door.

2. In a device of the class described, a relocking mechanism, meansadapted to secure itin place on a door, a mechanism actuated by therelooking mechanism to discharge a noxious vapor, and a plurality ofmeans for releasing said relocling mechanism upon injury of said door,one of said means being secured adjacent the regular locking means ofsaid door.

3. In a device of the class described, an emergency locking mechanismcomprising an auxiliary bolt sliding in unison with the regular `doorbolts, means for preventing movement of said auxiliary bolt, a pluralityof means adapted to independently actuate said irst-mentioned means, anda gas discharging mechanism adapted to be actuated by said.

last-mentioned means.

4. In a .device for attachment to vault doors, an emergency lock, springoperated means for preventing retraction of said lock, means fordischarging a noxiousvapor when said tirstmentioned means is operated,and a plurality of interconnected members disposed over the vulnerablepor-tions of the door whereby the severing of a single member willrelease said spring-operated means.

5. In a device for attachment to vault doors, an emergency lock,spring-operated means for preventing retraction of said lock, means fordischarging a noxious vapor when said first-mentioned means is operated,a plurality of interconnected members disposedl over the vulnerableportions of the 'door whereby the severing of a single member willrelease said spring-'operated means, and a fusible link connected withsaid members.

6. In a device oithe class described, a rey locking mechanism,spring-operated means for said mechanism, means for normally r'etainingsaid means inoperative, a firing plunger releasable by saidsecond-mentioned means simultaneously with the release of saidspringoperated means, a cartridge adapted to be set ofiI by said firingplunger, and a gas container adapted to be broken'by the bullet fromsaid cartridge.

7. In a device of the class described, a re-r locking mechanism,spring-operated means for said mechanism, means for normally re-Ataining said means inoperative, a firing plunger releasable by saidsecond-mentioned means simultaneously with the release of Saidspring-operated means, cartridges adapted to be set of by said firingplunger, and gas containers adapted to be broken by the bullets fromsaid cartridges.

8. In a device of the class described, an emergency locking mechanism, apiston therein adapted to lock said mechanism when in one position, atrigger normally holding said piston in another position, a firingplunger releasable by said trigger, cartridges adapted In testimonywhereof I have hereunto sub-` scribed my name.

ALFRED J. MACY.

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